a deep breath. Damn it, he was this close to storming back up those stairs, dragging her into the bedroom, and sinking himself into her heated depths until they both screamed with ecstasy. But did he really want to open himself up to more hurt? He might not have loved Pilar, but he cared for her. The loss of their relationship wounded him more than he admitted. After their breakup, he vowed never to open himself up to that kind of vulnerability again.
He was angry with himself. While he looked the other direction, Karly had managed to capture not only his mind, but his body as well. Another few minutes in her arms, and he would’ve given her the keys to his truck, his bank account number, and the combination to the cash safe at Felony.
The velvety softness of her skin still tingled beneath his fingertips. The memory had his cock straining against the fly of his jeans. He’d kissed quite a few girls in his lifetime. None of them ever invoked this kind of mindless desire. Yet, he’d been unable to go the distance with her. A puzzling turn of events considering they’d already had sex—make that great sex—once before. So why did he run from her like a virgin on prom night? He wasn’t sure until he pulled into the alley behind Felony. The realization stopped him cold.
Their one-night stand had been fueled by lust and circumstances. On that night, they’d sought mutual comfort without repercussions. When he’d left her the next morning, he thought he’d never see her again. No matter how much she denied it, he’d seen the hurt and confusion in her eyes over his abrupt departure. He never wanted to be the source of that look again. She deserved so much more than that. When— if —he ever spent the night again, he wouldn’t leave her in the cold.
He scrubbed both hands through his hair and groaned. Who the fuck was he kidding? If he ever spent the night again, he’d never want to leave.
Chapter 23
A few days later, Karly met Ally at Joe’s Java Joint, a coffee shop near campus. The tiny place bustled with customers, eager to escape the bitter cold and snow with a hot beverage, smooth jazz, and good friends. Fresh coffee and cinnamon scented the air. Cups clanged against saucers. Espresso machines whirred. Outside the window, snowflakes danced on the breeze.
"Nice hickey," Ally said as they stood in line to order.
"What? Oh." Karly turned up the collar of her shirt and fought back the bloom of color rising in her cheeks.
"Wanna tell me where you got that?" Ally raised an eyebrow.
"I burned myself with the curling iron," Karly said. Under normal circumstances, she would've regaled Ally with the entire story in enough detail to make her conservative friend squirm. A vague feeling of unease kept her from spilling the truth.
"You’re such a bad liar." Ally eyed her up and down, eyes narrowed.
"I'll have a caramel cappuccino with eight sugars," Karly told the barista, grateful for the reprieve, and stepped aside so that Ally could order.
"Eight sugars? Are you sure that's enough?" Ally asked.
Karly tilted her head and looked at the ceiling for a second, contemplating. "Well, yeah, I think so. Although I’m not sure there is such a thing as enough." Ally chuckled, and Karly grinned back at her.
"I swear. I’m amazed you still have all your teeth. And I don't know why you don't weigh a thousand pounds.” Always conscious of her weight, Ally ordered a non-fat skim milk latte with a double shot of espresso. She cast a disparaging glance at Karly's slim figure and bumped her shoulder affectionately. "You should be a humongous, toothless hag instead of the beautiful skinny bitch I adore."
"Yeah, well, if you were as poor as I am, you'd be skinny too. I've been living on popcorn for weeks. When I do get to eat, I have to make it count." To emphasize her point, Karly took a sip of her cappuccino and hummed in approval over its thick richness.
"In case you didn't know, coffee isn't
He was angry with himself. While he looked the other direction, Karly had managed to capture not only his mind, but his body as well. Another few minutes in her arms, and he would’ve given her the keys to his truck, his bank account number, and the combination to the cash safe at Felony.
The velvety softness of her skin still tingled beneath his fingertips. The memory had his cock straining against the fly of his jeans. He’d kissed quite a few girls in his lifetime. None of them ever invoked this kind of mindless desire. Yet, he’d been unable to go the distance with her. A puzzling turn of events considering they’d already had sex—make that great sex—once before. So why did he run from her like a virgin on prom night? He wasn’t sure until he pulled into the alley behind Felony. The realization stopped him cold.
Their one-night stand had been fueled by lust and circumstances. On that night, they’d sought mutual comfort without repercussions. When he’d left her the next morning, he thought he’d never see her again. No matter how much she denied it, he’d seen the hurt and confusion in her eyes over his abrupt departure. He never wanted to be the source of that look again. She deserved so much more than that. When— if —he ever spent the night again, he wouldn’t leave her in the cold.
He scrubbed both hands through his hair and groaned. Who the fuck was he kidding? If he ever spent the night again, he’d never want to leave.
Chapter 23
A few days later, Karly met Ally at Joe’s Java Joint, a coffee shop near campus. The tiny place bustled with customers, eager to escape the bitter cold and snow with a hot beverage, smooth jazz, and good friends. Fresh coffee and cinnamon scented the air. Cups clanged against saucers. Espresso machines whirred. Outside the window, snowflakes danced on the breeze.
"Nice hickey," Ally said as they stood in line to order.
"What? Oh." Karly turned up the collar of her shirt and fought back the bloom of color rising in her cheeks.
"Wanna tell me where you got that?" Ally raised an eyebrow.
"I burned myself with the curling iron," Karly said. Under normal circumstances, she would've regaled Ally with the entire story in enough detail to make her conservative friend squirm. A vague feeling of unease kept her from spilling the truth.
"You’re such a bad liar." Ally eyed her up and down, eyes narrowed.
"I'll have a caramel cappuccino with eight sugars," Karly told the barista, grateful for the reprieve, and stepped aside so that Ally could order.
"Eight sugars? Are you sure that's enough?" Ally asked.
Karly tilted her head and looked at the ceiling for a second, contemplating. "Well, yeah, I think so. Although I’m not sure there is such a thing as enough." Ally chuckled, and Karly grinned back at her.
"I swear. I’m amazed you still have all your teeth. And I don't know why you don't weigh a thousand pounds.” Always conscious of her weight, Ally ordered a non-fat skim milk latte with a double shot of espresso. She cast a disparaging glance at Karly's slim figure and bumped her shoulder affectionately. "You should be a humongous, toothless hag instead of the beautiful skinny bitch I adore."
"Yeah, well, if you were as poor as I am, you'd be skinny too. I've been living on popcorn for weeks. When I do get to eat, I have to make it count." To emphasize her point, Karly took a sip of her cappuccino and hummed in approval over its thick richness.
"In case you didn't know, coffee isn't
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